Choosing a senior in-home care giver: Comfort Keepers® has assembled a list of important questions to ask as you interview prospective professional caregiving companies.
Seniors: Your Appearance May Affect Your Emotions
A decline in grooming often indicates that a senior needs assistance due to a loss of physical dexterity or onset of conditions like Alzheimer’s that inhibit the ability to perform the activities of daily living. But it also can go much deeper, signaling depression and a loss of direction or interest in life.
The Signs of Arthritis in Seniors and Elders
There are over 100 different types of arthritis and one in every three people, suffer from some sort of it. It is a disease of the musculoskeletal system, specifically the joints, and it is the main cause of disability among people over fifty-five years of age in industrialized countries. And although there is no cure for arthritis, as a caregiver you should know that there is a lot you can do to minimize its overall painful effects every day in the life of the senior you care for.
Seniors and Driving: How to Steer through a Difficult Turn
As we age, we lose (some of us more gradually than others) physical and mental capabilities essential to safe driving, such as vision, hearing, mental acuity, muscle strength and dexterity. There likely will come a time when, for safety’s sake, we have to give up driving. Until then there are ways to compensate for some of the changes that come with aging and to continue to drive safely.
Senior Life Goes Better With Exercise
The importance of exercise for seniors: many research studies prove that seniors can improve their health and extend their longevity and time of independent living by extending their arms and legs in regular physical activity.
The Antidote for Caregiver Stress? Become Engaged
Approximately 15% of Canadian seniors live with some form of dementia, and caring for those afflicted creates significant stress on family caregivers. In addition to the time and cost impacts, caregivers suffer emotional, psychological, and social impacts as a result of their caregiving responsibilities.
Helping Seniors Stay Safe and Independent
Helping seniors stay safe and independent. By increasing seniors’ safety, they can not only experience better health and wellbeing but also stand a greater chance of living in their own homes independently for as long as possible. Two areas to consider are home and vehicle safety.
Seniors at Greater Risk for Chronic Dehydration
Seniors are at a higher risk of dehydration than younger adults. In fact, one study showed that up to 48% of seniors were dehydrated upon admission to the emergency department for other issues. Staying hydrated keeps the cardiovascular system healthy. Proper hydration positively affects both blood pressure and heart rate.
Physical Activity Helps Seniors Manage Chronic Conditions
One of the best actions seniors can take to combat chronic disease is to get moving. Today almost 92% of seniors have at least one chronic condition and 77% have at least two. Chronic conditions are costly and are major contributors to disability and loss of independence.
Prevent Senior Blindness with Cataract Check
If a senior you know is experiencing blurred or double vision, or if he or she needs more light than usual to read, it may be time for a cataract exam. Cataracts are the most common eye disease in older adults, and the leading cause of blindness, with more than 2.5 million people in Canada struggling with it.